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Up Front: 3 bizarre St. Patrick's Day truths, only in Savannah

NO SNAKES, AND NOW NO DOGS

It was weird enough when City Council last year ruled out snakes and lizards for the Big Green Day — “if it has scales and is cold-blooded, you cannot bring it,” explained the city’s Marty Johnston. But this is Savannah, so for 2013, the city upped its ante, banning dogs in the festival zone after 5 p.m. Saturday (excluding those belonging to downtown residents). Because sure, that makes sense, right? “They are destroying the squares with dog feces,” Johnston said. Of course, if you’re a human, bringing along your Porta Potty in a pickup or lying in a pool of vomit is still OK (just don’t do it in a taxi, see below).

CHUCK IT IN A CAB AND YOU’LL PAY

Speaking of which — it’s true. In 2012, we ran a charming little feature on what Savannah cabbies go through on St. Patrick’s Day. Drunken couples, men waking up naked in bushes and pots o’ barf a plenty. Turns out, local taxi companies have a very specific rule about this: Chuck it in a cab on St. Patrick’s Day, and you’ll pay an extra $75 to $150. (Hit the bucket, and the cabbie might cut you some slack.) The story became a national sensation, highlighted in the Los Angeles Times as just another example of how far Savannahians will go to party. Tip: Save yourself a few bucks and call a friend.

READ BETWEEN THE NUMBERS

Predicting St. Patrick’s Day turnout has always been a sport this time of year, but 2012 committee chairman Michael A. Foran outdid his predecessors by saying his parade would draw 1 million people to the Hostess City’s streets, making it the world’s largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration. (The city of Savannah, wisely, refuses to participate in this annual guessing game). Foran’s boast went viral, sparking wild speculation about what exactly would happen March 17. In the end, judging from my view on Abercorn Street, Savannah didn’t come close to hitting a million, but enough people did show up to knock out cellphone service to the historic district, fueling fears of a zombie apocalypse. In the end, though, it was just the usual rowdy drunks and well-behaved families. Be safe out there!

Jason Kendall is the editor of dosavannah.com. Email him at jason.kendall@savannahnow.com.